


Late Nights + Caffeine = A Sleepy Wizard

by VisionaryGalaxy



Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [10]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hint of Insecurity, M/M, Nightmares, Tony Stark Has A Heart, supportive boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 16:24:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15889692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VisionaryGalaxy/pseuds/VisionaryGalaxy
Summary: Stephen has a nightmare and Tony offers support in the way of caffeine and distraction.





	Late Nights + Caffeine = A Sleepy Wizard

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [【授翻/奇异铁】Late Nights + Caffeine = A Sleepy Wizard](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16588772) by [Clover_cherik](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clover_cherik/pseuds/Clover_cherik)



> Short and sweet guys! The last three have been really long so I figured my muse could chill a little.

   It was late, nearly three am according to the clock sitting on the nightstand. Stephen Strange was laying in a very large and very _empty_ bed, starring up at the ceiling and desperately trying to ignore the throbbing in his hands. The nightmare he had just awoken from should be of little concern compared to the usual horrors he saw when his eyes closed, but still seeing the crash over and over again left him shaky. Worse he awoke to find himself alone, but for his Cloak hovering next to the bed, which immediately disappeared after being assured he was physically fine. He supposes if this were a normal night at his Sanctuary it wouldn’t be so disorienting, but he had expected to find Tony next to him, had expected a presence to ground him.

   With a groan Stephen forced himself to get out of the warm bed and stretch, eyes taking in the mess that was Tony’s room. It didn’t take long to find a t-shirt and extra pair of sweats to magic onto himself, unwilling to use his hands just yet.

   Stephen knew exactly where Tony would be, though he was more then a little surprised that he clearly hadn’t been to bed yet at all. He would be in his workshop pouring over plans for his latest obsession, something about hating how the Falcon’s wings were technically more aerodynamic and graceful then the Ironman suit.

   Usually Stephen didn’t mind the way Tony’s passion for invention could consume him for days at a time, the exception, however, was tonight. It was the first time in a solid week they had been together in person, not texting or face-timing. The dinner had been wonderful, the conversation fluid, as though they hadn’t already spoken over the phone that day, and Tony’s attention had given Stephen an unexpected reprieve. He hadn’t expected much more that night, beyond falling asleep with his boyfriend, which proved unlikely a couple hours later. Still, Stephen hadn’t minded, until now, until his brain was running a mile a minute.

   As he made his way towards the stairs to the kitchen he tried to ignore the light shaky feeling in his legs, the way flashes of water and blood rose when his eyes blinked, the sound of crunching metal that seemed to echo in his head. Once he arrived in the kitchen, he was unsurprised to see the lights on and a kettle beginning to brew for his usual tea. FRIDAY would have known he was awake almost immediately, Tony’s technology eerily synced to his body and habits by now.

   Taking a seat, Stephen waited, trying to get accustomed to the dim lights, that would steadily brighten shortly. It wasn’t long that he heard the rapid foot steps sounding from the staircase in the other room, and the telltale sound of Tony mumbling almost incoherently.

   When Tony rounded the corner into the kitchen, Stephen struggled not to laugh at the grease speckled across his face, his darkened hands, and dirty tank top. His expression, however, was perhaps the most telling that it was not only his technology hyper-aware of Stephen. He slowed to a walk, his brows furrowed in weary concern as his eyes took in the more then usual shaking of his hands.

   “Stephen? FRIDAY told me you were up.”

   He just nodded, because as amusing a frazzled, working Tony could be, he couldn’t help the annoying little voice in his head saying he should just send him back to work, since he obviously didn’t care to be there in the first place. Stephen was more then a little ashamed of that voice.

   Tony stopped in front of the counter. “What’s wrong?”

   He knew Stephen preferred direct questions when he wasn’t all there. He shook his head this time, “Just a nightmare Tony, you can go back to work.”

   He sat, even though Stephen recognized the excess energy clearly from caffeine buzzing through him. A sad little smile crooked up his lips, damn he knew him to well. “Nah I should take a break anyway, want me to pour your tea?”

   Stephen kind of hated that question, knowing it was because his hands hadn’t stilled yet, but he really did want his tea.

   Tony didn’t bother to wait for his answer standing and preparing it himself. Stephen chose to stare out the wall of windows across from them, hating that in the dark he only saw more images of water, another throb of pain pulsing through his hands. He knew by now that most of it was psychological, but it still felt like each bone was being cracked and crushed.

   A cup tapped as it was set down in front him and a hand slid into one of his, making him wince as Tony sat next to him. “Crash or aliens this time?” he murmured.

   “Crash.”

   His hand slipped out of Stephen’s to his disappointment. “No way of going back to sleep?”

   Another shake of the head.

   “Alright,” Tony stood suddenly pulling Stephen by the elbow, making him glare. “Come to the workshop with me I’ve go caffeine, fruit, and a plethora of medical cases you can distract yourself with.”

   The tea was left forgotten as he followed, already finding it easier to breath as something warmed up inside at how well Tony knew how to help him. Once in the room he was sat in a comfortable armchair with a blanket and a book. The book lay untouched, however, as Tony worked and kept up a steady stream of commentary and conversation when Stephen was willing to supply it.

   As the clock hit six, which meant only three more hours until Stephen would need to return to the Sanctuary, Tony paused to pour a very large cup of steaming coffee and hand it to his now only slightly trembling hands. “Try not to give Wong a hard time, we both know how you can get with very little sleep and I don’t want him berating me again.” Another crooked grin as Tony blinked sleep from his own eyes.

   “I make no promises,” Stephen declared, sipping the coffee and trying to keep a smile off his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope everyone enjoyed this little nugget, hopefully I can keep up some more lengthy fics with this busy week coming up. Wish me luck!


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